Waterproof cameras? suggestions and tips?

Going to CSS and know i will be in the water alot - looking to buy a waterproof camera soon - There are a few choices out there but since I already have a camera for evening and non water area use(which i plan to bring as it is also small an d easy to use) - does anyone recommend a waterproof one for doing the resort diving and watersports as well as dunns river falls etc - any good or bad experiences as well as tips?
thanks
John

I bought the Fuji FinePix WP Blue underwater camera for our last trip in August and then brought my Sony Cybershot. I ended up taking the entire trip with my Fuji camera and my pictures were awesome. If I was computer literate, I would attach a picture so that you could see. I would recommend buying the case that makes it floatable. A couple of times I thought it was going to slip off of my wrist when I was snorkeling.

I have found the waterproof/shockproof cameras to be less than waterproof and shockproof. Every single one we have tried has failed. Most of them on the first use. The warranties I have read through do not even include water damage so if the waterproof elements fail they will not cover it. The photo quality leaves something to be desired too. Maybe as a photographer I am being too picky but I want a good photo. I have seen plenty of regular point and shoot cameras that take great photos so it can be done. This might not be the route you were trying to go but this is what I did. I got a Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR with the waterproof case. The nice thing about a separate case is that you can test it out prior to each use plus it does not go through as much wear and tear as waterproof camera so in theory the waterproof elements should last longer. The camera produces excellent photos which is what I was looking for. All the things that were important to me in a small point and shoot were there such as a fast startup time, short delay between photos, good photo quality in low light situations, low noise, the ability to customize settings like white balance, a manual mode, face detection and ease of use for when others are taking photos of me. When I was buying it I was specifically looking for a point and shoot I could use underwater but I went about it by looking for the best point and shoot camera for me and then checking to see if there was a good underwater solution. Thankfully there was. The underwater case is great. There is even a panel to diffuse the flash so you can use that underwater with good results. All of the buttons and features can be used with the case on it as well. The case will also help protect the camera should it be dropped on the rocks or something like that. I would rather replace the case than the camera. It is more expensive to buy the two elements separately but buying online saves some money and it will likely last longer than a single underwater camera. If I can get a year out of it then it will have outlived all of the underwater cameras my friends and I have used combined. I took it snowboarding the other day and I am not good at snowboarding so it must have taken a beating in my pocket. Still good!

I bought the Fuji FinePix WP Blue underwater camera for our last trip in August and then brought my Sony Cybershot. I ended up taking the entire trip with my Fuji camera and my pictures were awesome. If I was computer literate, I would attach a picture so that you could see. I would recommend buying the case that makes it floatable. A couple of times I thought it was going to slip off of my wrist when I was snorkeling.

I'll second the Fuji FinePix. Great little camera. We're on our way home from the Galapagos Islands as I'm posting this and I took both it and my fancy Olympus Digital. I used the Fuji for 95% of the photos. Take a look: The Galapagos Islands expedition.

I LOVE my Olympus 550WP! Great for the ocean or pool! It isn't bulky like the plastic covered options. They have come down in price too. You can pick one up for only $100. Besides being waterproof it is also a bit more heavy duty than your average camera. I've dropped it on the pavement numerous times and it still works like a charm!

i was looking at that camera the fuji WP one at costco and at best buy - think i will pick that one up. hope it can handle also a resort dive since its not that far deeper than recommended i think i may try that also - thank you all for all the suggestions - this board is excellent for discussing silly things we all seem to over think about before a trip

Olympus makes a dandy little digital that is water proof to 10 meters, about 30'. If you don't want to mess with the disposable film cameras, then this is a nice alternative without having to purchase an expensive water proof case. Takes nice pictures out of the water too. I'm not sure of the model number, but it is available all over the place on line or b&m stores for under $200. Try searching for waterproof digital cameras, or waterproof Olympus.

I got an Olympus 550 Waterproof camera for one of my bridal showers specifically for our honeymoon and it was wonderful. I believe it is a 10 megapixel and it was less than $180. It takes great pictures underwater and not.

I would highly recommend a canon point and shoot camera and a canon waterproof case. They don't make a case for every model so make sure they make the case before you buy the camera. You can find them on amazon, ebay, canon store, etc....
I think most of them are rated for 130ft. We use ours for Scuba diving, water sports, swimming pool, and beach activities. We've never had a problem with ours. It's been dropped and abused and it still works great. It's also nice because you dont have to worry about the sunscreen on your hands when on the beach. Another advantage is you can take the camera out of the case and have an excellent camera for every day use as opposed to the underwater/waterproof cameras that take inferior pics. Highly recommend.

Another option is to use your regular point & shoot digital camera with a Dicapac waterproof case (http://www.dicapac.com) They only cost around $40 and it worked well with my Canon S400 on 3 separate snorkeling trips. I never took it more than a few feet deep, though, so I can't vouch for how well the Dicapac does at 10' deep.

Also, people should realize that underwater p&s cameras aren't going to take very good quality photos to begin with. Then again, underwater photos don't usually come out crystal clear anyway, so you might be best off with an inexpensive p&s underwater camera (like one of those mentioned in this thread), and a separate camera for use on dry land. That way you get the best of both worlds.

See: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...on=stylustough I have an Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 and have used it for over a year on heavy duty fishing trips to British Columbia and Belize, etc., it's pricey but performs exactly as advertized in fresh and salt water.

Going to CSS and know i will be in the water alot - looking to buy a waterproof camera soon - There are a few choices out there but since I already have a camera for evening and non water area use(which i plan to bring as it is also small an d easy to use) - does anyone recommend a waterproof one for doing the resort diving and watersports as well as dunns river falls etc - any good or bad experiences as well as tips?
thanks
John

Easiest yes, but not the best results. I used both a Kodak and a Fuji disposable waterproof camera on a snorkeling trip once, and I was sorely disappointed with the results. When you factor in the cost of the cameras ($8-$12), plus developing and printing of the photos (another $8-$12, at least), you can easily spend $40 or more for a few dozen sub-par photos. Better to invest that $40 towards a digital p&s that will allow you to shoot hundreds of photos (and perhaps even video), provide you with immediate feedback (via the LCD screen), and can be reused for many years.

I'll add my two cents. I bought the Olympus 1030 for my CSA trip back in 08 and love the camera. It's waterproof down to 30' and I also bought the floating strap for it which actually works. As a matter of fact a guy with the same camera borrowed the strap for a snorkeling trip and said "wow I need to buy one of these". The camera doesn't have the best zoom power but it does take great pics in and out of the water. Here's a few shots I took. Enjoy!

For those of you above who have used the Fuji finepix XP10 digital underwater camera, seeing as how it is only good for 10ft underwater did you buy a waterproof case for it or push the camera a little more then 10ft with decent results?

Just my two cents, but a few years ago my fiancee got me the Sealife DC800 with strobe flash. I've gone diving many times with it and man do I have some fantastic pictures!! It also takes very nice pictures above water as well, just change it to a land setting! It's by no means a cheap camera, but I imagine the price has gone down some over the years since they've introduced newer models.

I took these pictures with a SeaLife DC500. I believe they have discontinued that model, but you can still get them on Ebay. I've been very pleased with my SeaLife and will probably upgrade to the SeaLife DC1200 before we return next year to Negril.

I did a ton of research and read a bunch of reviews and just ordered the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT2. You can get it at Crutchfield for <$250 and it seems to have the best picture quality and records in AVCHD for great HD movies. Only downside I can see is it doesn't have much onboard memory. But I will put in a 8gb card anyways, so no worries there.